How they got here: St Louis CITY2 won't be counted out

If there is one team you can never count out, it's St Louis CITY2.

Since making their debut and run to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup final in 2022, CITY2 have been the only team in the league to appear in every MLS NEXT Pro postseason since the league launched.

This year they'll look to get back to the big stage but will need to string together their best stretch of 2026 to do so.

Although they began 2026 in top form, they've struggled to find the consistency needed to be among the league leaders, finishing 7th in the West with a 10W-10D-8L record.

Can they find a way to put it all together for a deep postseason run? They begin their playoff journey in the Pacific Northwest, taking on Portland Timbers2 (10 PM ET | MLSNEXTPro.com, OneFootball).

Season series

St Louis CITY2 were only able to earn one point in their two meetings against Timbers2 this season, losing a 2-1 decision on July 18 and suffering a 6-5 shootout loss on September 18.

Player spotlight

Parmer Ault earned a spot in the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Best XI after recording 15 goal contributions (8g/7a) and has been promoted to the first team, only appearing for CITY2 three times since June 20. 

But even if Ault isn't available for postseason play, St Louis CITY2 still has plenty of firepower at their disposal.

Midseason loan acquisition Zach Zengue finished the regular season with 13 goals, while Riley Lynch caused havoc down the right wing all year, finishing with eight assists.